Convenience Sampling

Convenience sampling, sometimes referred to as accidental sampling or haphazard sampling, is a type of nonprobability sampling method in which the researcher obtains participants from a location that is convenient or easy to reach. As a result, convenience sampling and other types of nonprobability sampling do not involve random selection of participants from the population. This is in contrast to a probability sample, in which each element of the population or stratum has an equal chance of being selected into the sample, also known as random sampling. Random samples are concerned with generalizability to the population of interest, whereas nonprobability samples are less likely to be concerned with generalizability. True random samples, however, are extremely difficult to obtain unless the population is small and well ...